Prince of Paupers
by sakura ten'nyo
Summary: I had a pretty good life. I had a steady job at a local diner, great friends, and a solid mind. Well, now, I can say goodbye to the last one. It all started when he showed up. WHAT THE HECK AM I SUPPOSED TO DO!
1. Chapter 1

**Hi people! It's sakura ten'nyo. Again, I'm really sorry about discontinuing Akai Konahikiki, but it just wasn't working out for me. Anyway, I think you'll like this one a better. Enjoy!**

Sasuke's POV

I hate my life. It's as simple as that.

People think I'm livin' it up. Think again, idiots. The royal life ain't all it's cracked up to be. Sure, you've got servants all over the place, doing whatever the heck you want. Sure, you're loaded. Instant happiness, right? Well, guess what?

THAT'S NOT THE CASE!!

You have no idea what it's like. Everyone watches your every move, it seriously feels like you're living under a magnifying glass. Your parents are constantly picking at you. 'You can do better!' 'Stand up straighter!' 'Take this girl out!' 'Be nice!' 'Socialize!' 'Smile!'

…

I'm an Uchiha. Do you honestly think I'm going to socialize? Or smile? Get real.

Believe it or not, I actually _want _people to leave me alone. And if you couldn't figure that out from the glare, the lack of a smile, or the limited verbal communication, then you must be a complete idiot.

My name is Prince Sasuke Uchiha, Crown Prince of the Land of Fire.

You have no idea how much I want to lose the title.

**Yeah, I know it's short, but it's basically a prologue. More will come, I promise!**

**Jaa mata! sakura ten'nyo**


	2. Chapter 2

**MWAHAHAHAHAHA! I'M BACK! Please read and review, because no one reviews and it makes me lonely. : ( Anywho, read on, my cairobies!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. It is as simple as that.**

"Sasuke-san?" called the voice of Hiro, a servant. Frantic knocking sounded on the door.

Naturally, he didn't answer. The Prince was lounging on his huge, dark blue bed, his iPod plugged into his ears. It was obvious that he had no intention of answering. More knocking.

"Please, Sasuke-san! Your mother wants you to hurry. You will be late for the gala!"

Sasuke's dark eyes opened lazily and they rolled. He turned up the volume on his music. This time the knocks were louder and more forceful.

"Sasuke!" bellowed King Fugaku. "Come out here this instant, young man!"

Sasuke scowled and paused the song, pulling his earbuds out and getting up. He stalked to the door and flung it open. His father's angry face stared back at him.

"What?" Sasuke growled.

"Don't you use that tone of voice with me, Sasuke! I am your father!"

"Oh, so now you're my father?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow defiantly. "I thought you were the King."

Fugaku's nostrils flared. "Itachi was never like this. Why can't you be more like Itachi?"

Sasuke glared at his father. "Sure. Love to. Now, please excuse me while I find an anarchist society to join." Itachi had left three years ago to join the Akatsuki. You just didn't mention him in the Uchiha house.

Fugaku's face turned red. "That's it! You are grounded, Sasuke! You are not to leave this room until your mother and I come back! And then we are going to have a talk, you and I." He slammed the door and stomped off. Sasuke smirked. Mission Get-Grounded: complete. Time to initiate Phase Two.

Sasuke threw on his ripped jeans and a dark blue T-shirt (an outfit that would've given his dear mother a perfect heart attack) and pulled on a black jacket. He grabbed his iPod, shoved it in his pocket and pushed the window open. And then he climbed outside, the chilled evening air blew into his face. It was a good thing he had a tree outside of his room. With surprising speed, he clambered down the tree and touched down. He turned back to look at the mansion and smirked. He thumbed his nose at the building and ran off into the dark.

He was free. What could possibly go wrong?** (A/N: So guess what's gonna happen now!)**

Well, as according to Murphy's Law, everything went wrong. Thunder boomed and in seconds, Sasuke was soaked through to the bone. Standing in the middle of the small town of Konoha, he nearly got hit by a bike messenger.

"Move it, idiot!" shouted the kid on the bicycle as he tore past.

Sasuke glared. No one called an Uchiha an idiot and lived to tell about it. He ducked into the nearest building and shook the excess water off himself.

He had walked into a small diner. A pretty-ish blonde waitress behind the counter leaned over.

"Go ahead and sit down anywhere! Someone will be out to get your order in a sec," she shouted.

Then she dashed into the kitchen. He could hear her squealing excitedly to someone. So he sat down at a booth in a corner and propped his elbows on the table, lacing his fingers under his nose. The door to the kitchen swung shut and Sasuke looked up, only to be blinded by a very startling shade of bubblegum pink.

**MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! I am so evil when it comes to cliff-hangers. Teehee. Anywho, it might take me a bit to update, seeing as I'm in high school now. Jaa mata! sakura ten'nyo**


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm ba-ack! With weapons! Teehee. So here's a new chapter for you wonderful little peoples. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I really wish I owned Naruto…but I don't, seeing as I wouldn't be able to pay if someone sued me. **

Sakura's POV

"FOREHEAD!" squealed Ino. She flew into the kitchen and I turned around, a tray in my hands.

I rolled my eyes and smiled. "Ino, you do realize that it's normal for white fluffy stuff to come out of the whipped cream can, right?"

She grabbed my hands, causing me to drop the tray I was holding, and jumped up and down. "It's not that this time, I swear!" She giggled and grinned happily. "The hottest guy just walked in!"

I looked up at the ceiling. Ino looked up too. I picked up my tray and put some plates on it. "Well, where's he sitting?" I asked.

"At your break table." Then she got down on her knees and pulled on my apron. "Oh, please, oh please, oh please, oh please, oh _pleeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaase _can I take this one? Please, Sakura? I'll never ask you for another one ever as long as I live, just please let me take this one."

I bent down. "Sorry, Ino-pig, that's the way the cookie crumbles. So stop groveling, you'll get your skirt dirty." Then I walked out of the kitchen, leaving Ino cursing me to the very bowels of Hell.

I put the plates of food down at a table, told the patrons to enjoy, and then strode over to my break booth. I pulled out my notepad and pen and smiled down at the patron. He looked up at me.

_Ino was right, _I thought. _He is hot._ His hair was jet black, his dark eyes bottomless, and his skin was really pale. He was the kind that got all the girls and then dropped them a day later. But he looked angry. I was already annoyed with him and I hadn't even said anything to the guy!

"Hi," I said cheerfully. "Welcome to the Shinobi, my name is Sakura and I'll be your waitress this evening. Can I get you anything to drink?" I laid the menu down on the table in front of him. He didn't even look at it.

"Coffee," he muttered, his voice deep and slightly frightening.

I wrote it down and continued to stand there, watching him with a continuous smile on my face, waiting. He looked at me impatiently.

"Uh, what do you want?" he growled. "I said I wanted coffee. So, go get it."

I put my hands on my hips. "Are you serious?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'm serious, I want coffee." He really sounded angry now.

"What's the magic word?" Jeez, I feel like a kindergarten teacher.

He stared at me like I had three heads. Then his eyes narrowed. "Please," he growled.

"Good job, class! You get a gold star!"

He glared at me with the force of ten hurricanes. I just smiled at him and turned to get the coffee pot. Ino was standing behind the counter, her arms crossed over her chest and her face contorted into a frown. I shrugged and leaned closer to her.

"News flash, piggy, break table is a humongous jerk-wad. So don't even bother crushing, 'kay?" I grinned again. Ino shrugged.

"I still think he's hot. So there."

"Fine, whatever."

I poured a mug of coffee and took it back to Jerk-Wad. "There you go. Can I get you anything else?" I asked politely.

"No." He took a sip of the black coffee and ignored me…again. I put my hands on my hips. He looked up at me again unhappily. "You're going to keep standing there until I do what you want, is that it?"

"Yep, just about." I really wanted to annoy this guy; he was just so…infuriating. So I spoke in my most chipper, talking-to-kindergarteners voice and smiled hugely. "Lesson two, class. The second magic word!"

It sounded like he growled. "Hn," he grunted.

"Come on, kids. What's the second magic word?"

"…thank you," he said through gritted teeth.

"Good job! Now, was that really so painful?" Hoo boy, was I howling inside! It always feels so good when infuriating people are infuriated. Watching them squirm is so much fun.

"Hn."

So I shrugged and twittered happily, "Enjoy!" and ran into the kitchen. Naruto, a fellow wait staff, laughed raucously and put his arm around my shoulders.

"Hah! You showed him, Pinky!" he boomed.

I laughed as I grabbed my notepad. "Thanks, Naruto! And don't call me Pinky."

Hinata, one of my best friends and the best cook in Konoha and Naruto's girlfriend, giggled. Tenten, my other best friend and co-owner of the Shinobi, grinned. Neji, Tenten's husband and the other owner, rolled his eyes and shook his head.

I ran back out to the diner and seated a small family of four. As I took their orders, I could've sworn that I felt someone watching me. A quick glance to my right showed me that Jerk-Wad was staring me down. I ignored him and strode behind the counter, sticking the piece of paper on the pass-through between the kitchen and the counter. I shouted out the order and picked up a few plates of food. As I came back to the counter, four of our regulars: Shino, Kiba, Kiba's dog Akamaru, and Choji sat down at the counter. They hired themselves out as ninjas to anyone who needed a job done. They always had a funny story to tell and a good piece of gossip. I leaned across the counter.

"Okay, boys," I said. "Dish."

Kiba leaned back and grinned. "Well," he said conspiratorially. "So we were working that gala tonight for the ambassador, right? Anyway, apparently the King and Queen and the Prince were supposed to be there."

"And, what, did they not show?" I asked.

"Well, the King and Queen did. But the Prince was nowhere to be seen." Kiba took a sip of his coffee.

"Why not?"

He shrugged. "The King said he was home sick. But here's what I think." He looked around and motioned to me with his finger. I leaned closer. "I think that if I were the Prince, and I was home alone, 

I would use that chance to get out. I mean, the guy must have, like, no freedom. Especially with parents like his." He shook his head and I leaned back.

"And for a juicy little bit like that, you guys each get a free slice of Hinata's pie."

The boys slapped each other high-fives and Akamaru yipped happily. I grinned and placed a slice of cherry pie in front of each man. They dove in and chorused a "Thank you, Sakura!" after a few bites. I smiled, happy to see customers happy.

"Hey, Sakura!" called Tenten.

I turned around and poked my head through the pass-through. "Yeah?"

"Take a break."

"Yes!" I untied my apron and tossed it through the pass-through. I grabbed my bottle of Pepsi and plopped into the seat across from Jerk-Wad.

Oh yeah, he looked ready to rip my head off.

**Hee hee. I wonder what Sasuke's gonna do to Sakura? Jaa mata! sakura ten'nyo**


	4. Chapter 4

**Alloo! It be me. Here's another chapter for you guys. Please read, enjoy, and review.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. But I am working on getting Neji. (It's not going so good.)**

Sasuke'sPOV

What. The. Heck?!

That weird waitress just sat down at my table. The one with the pink hair. She sat down at _my _table. Do I not exude "Stay away from me or suffer horribly"?

"Ugh!" she sighed. "Dang, I'm exhausted. It has been so busy tonight!" She took a swig of Pepsi and laid her chin on her folded arms on the table. She looked up at me and smiled. Does she ever stop smiling?!

"What are you doing at my table?" I demanded.

"I'm taking my break. And for your information, this is actually _my _table. I take my breaks here. You just happen to be sitting here. So deal with it." She sat up and propped her elbows up on the table, resting her chin in her hand.

"So what's your deal?" she asked.

"Hn."

"What does 'Hn' mean? Is it even a word?" she asked.

"Hn."

"I will take that as a no."

I stared into my half-finished cup of coffee as I smirked.

"You didn't answer my question. What's your deal?" she asked again.

"Hn."

"Well, what's your name?"

"Hn."

"Okay, you are going to answer me in a language I understand or else." She pointed a finger at my face. I peered at her with a raised eyebrow. This situation could even be described as mildly amusing. She was eyeing the top of my head with a quizzical expression.

"Is that real?" she asked.

"What?"

"Your head. It looks like you cut off a chicken's ass, painted it black, and stuck on your head." She snorted.

Okay, amusement? Eradicated.

"What about you?" I sneered. "Did you get your head stuck in a cotton candy machine and forgot to wash it out?"

"Touché. And hah! I finally got you to talk!" she cried triumphantly.

I rolled my eyes.

"Are you going to tell me your name?" she asked.

"No."

"Are you from around here?"

"No."

"Are you going to continue to answer my questions with vague, one word answers?"

"Yes." I smirked.

She laughed. As strange as it sounds, and if you ever tell anyone I thought this I will hunt you down, I kind of liked her laugh. It was so different from the laughs of other women I knew. It was unrestrained and really…nice. It was really nice to hear. I quite nearly…smiled. But I didn't! I swear! What kind of Uchiha would I be if I smiled?!

"So where are you staying?" she asked.

"Somewhere."

"Again with the vague, one-word answers!" She threw her hands up in the air in exasperation. I snorted.

"Hey, Sakura!" shouted a brown-haired woman from the kitchen. "Break's over! Get back to work!"

"Oh well," she sighed. Then she smiled at me again. "See ya around, Jerk-Wad."

Did she just call me "Jerk-Wad"?! She got up and was about to go. When, of its own accord, my hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. She turned around again and frowned curiously.

"Sasuke," I muttered.

"What?"

"My name's Sasuke."

She smiled gently. "Nice to meet you, Sasuke. I'm Sakura." Then she pried her arm from my hand and went back to her job.

I took another sip of my coffee and took a deep breath. What the heck did she do to me?

I can't remember how long I sat in that booth, just staring at the seat in front of me. It was a really horrible color too. I do remember that I was there until the diner closed. She dropped her apron on the counter and tugged on a beaten up brown leather jacket. She wound a scarf around her neck and picked up a purse, calling goodnights and goodbyes to her coworkers. Then she stopped in front of the table. I looked up at her.

"We're closed, Sasuke. You should go home," she said. I reached into my pocket for money for the coffee. "No, don't worry about it. It's on me." She pushed her hands into her pockets and motioned with her head toward the door. "Come on."

I stood up and we walked outside. The cold night air got under the collar of my jacket and raised goose bumps on my neck.

"So, where are you staying?" Sakura asked. "There aren't a lot of hotels around here."

I shrugged, my face blank. "Don't know," I muttered.

"You're thinking about sleeping on a park bench, aren't you?" I swung my face around to look at her. She was giving me a "Don't even think about it" look. "Trust me, they aren't very comfortable. And it's freezing out here."

"You've slept on a park bench before?" I asked.

"Before I moved into my apartment, I didn't have anywhere to go, so I slept on park benches until I earned enough money to pay for it." She spoke of it so nonchalantly, it sounded too casual. "Besides," she added, "you'd probably get arrested for it. I almost did."

I was surprised. She certainly didn't seem like the kind of girl who slept on park benches when the going got tough.

"What about your parents?" I found myself asking.

"Dead. I was living with my teacher until I was sixteen. Been on my own for two years now. Sure, it gets hard sometimes, but you learn to live through it, y'know?" She smiled sadly. Then she looked at me. "What about you, Sasuke? You look an awful lot like the Prince. And you have the same name, too." She stared at me suspiciously. "Are you the Prince? Did you actually get out?"

Uh-oh. I couldn't tell her that I was the Prince. She would probably turn me in. So I put on my poker face. "No. My parents named me Sasuke after the Prince because I looked like him. We have the same birthday, too."

She raised an eyebrow. "So what happened to your parents?"

"They died," I lied. "I had a brother, too, but he died in the same accident." I tried to make it sound believable.

"Wow, I'm sorry." She frowned. "A brother, huh? I never had a brother. Or a sister." She was silent for a moment, lost in thought. "Hey, if you have nowhere to stay, you can stay with me."

Wait, what? I had known the girl maybe five hours and she's inviting me to stay at her house?! Does she not note the death-glare and incessant scowl?! Well, apparently, my body was working the complete opposite of my mind, because instead of glaring at her and muttering "You're annoying," I said something completely different.

"Thanks, I appreciate it."

WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH ME?! MOUTH, LISTEN TO THE LUMPY GRAY THING INSIDE MY SKULL! LUMPY GRAY THING, STOP CONFUSING ME!

Completely unaware of my internal meltdown, Sakura smiled.

"Great," she murmured. And then her bright, obnoxiously chipper mood returned and she threw herself into a full-length description of the past week. I looked up at the dark, winter sky.

Oh God, what have I gotten myself into?!

**Well, that's all your getting for now. Stop crying and review! Please, it makes me happy! I might not be able to update for a while, you know, school and everything in my crazy life. Well, gotta go!**

**Jaa mata! sakura ten'nyo**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi people! It's sakura ten'nyo! Obviously. Anywho, I've got another chapter for you guys. (bows) I hope it meets your approval. Anyway, here ya go!**

**Disclaimer: I, sakura ten'nyo, do not own Naruto or anything associated with it. Except for this plot, it is all mine, so you can't have it (sticks out tongue). Tee hee.**

Sakura's POV

Okay, so here's how the story is so far. Girl goes to work, Boy walks into the place where Girl works, Boy acts like a complete Jerk-Wad, Girl invites Boy to stay at her house. There's something wrong with this picture, here! What the heck was I thinking, inviting a perfect stranger to stay at my house! Yeah, a really, really, _really_ perfect stranger…

Sakura! Snap out of it, girl! He's just a guy, you've handled guys before! Besides, he infuriates me! I mean what's his deal, always acting like a pompous butthead and throwing his weight around like he owned the world. And the way he looked at me when I sat down at my own table? Oi, Sasuke! Ever heard of sharing?

So why is he staying at my house? I DON'T KNOW, I JUST BLURTED IT OUT WITHOUT THINKING!

_Sigh. _Well, it's too late now; it would be really rude if I asked him to leave.

I unlocked the door to my tiny apartment and pushed the stubborn slab of wood open, with some difficulty, mind you. The dumb door's sticky. Sasuke stood behind me, looking a bit amused.

"ARGH!" I grunted. There was a clatter as my bicycle fell over. Cursing a bit under my breath, I leaned over the couch and pulled the light bulb string. The flickering light buzzed into life, painting the room with its yellow light.

My apartment is absolutely miniscule. Like, it makes the Vatican look like Canada, it's that small. The threadbare couch was pushed up in front of the door and the kitchen was a small fridge, a sink, and a small table. It wasn't much of a space, but it was home to me.

I climbed over the couch to get into the "living room" and dropped my purse and keys on the table I ate on. My unlikely guest watched me as I wrestled my jacket into the tiny closet and slammed the door behind me. He fell over the couch, rolled and ended up standing. I glared. How is it that even when he's clumsy he looks good?!

He looked around skeptically. I caught the look and raised an eyebrow.

"Well, it's not the Taj Mahal, I'll give you that. But it's home to me," I said.

Sasuke shrugged. "Whatever."

"So, you hungry?" I asked.

He shrugged again, being very vague and unhelpful.

"Fine," I said. "I won't make anything then."

His stomach growled and the back of his neck turned pink. I smirked. "Is spaghetti okay with you?" I asked.

He nodded, embarrassed. I smiled and filled a pot with water, putting it on the stove and turning on the burner. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all.

I was wrong. I was so, so wrong.

Sasuke was a complete butthead. He didn't talk at all; he kept looking around my place like it was a dirty cardboard box. WHICH IT WASN'T! I mean, I don't see him living anywhere! He has no right to talk…not that he talks much, in the first place. We finished or tiny meal in silence, the sound was the clinking of forks against plate.

All of a sudden, the faucet on the sink began to gush torrents and torrents of water. Sasuke jumped, startled. I sighed.

"Not again," I muttered. My stupid-ass faucet was always leaking. I calmly stood up and walked to the closet. I pulled out a toolbox and knelt before the sink. I didn't care that I was getting soaked. I pulled out my wrench, tightened a few things, and the water stopped. I dropped the wrench into my toolbox and put the box back into the closet. I stood up and smiled at Sasuke, who was watching me with restrained awe crossing his face. I smirked.

"You done with that?" I pointed to his plate and he nodded. I picked up our plates and dropped them in the sink.

"So, you get the couch," I said. "Bathroom is the door on the right. Please knock before going in. I'll get you a toothbrush and a towel and you can take a shower."

I grabbed the items out of the closet and handed them to my guest. He accepted them with a nod and walked into the bathroom. As I put the leftovers into the fridge, I heard the shower curtain move. I turned the faucet on to wash the dishes.

"AAAAAUUUUUUUUUGH!" The scream came from the bathroom. I winced. Oops, looks like I forgot to tell him about the shower.

**Well, that's it! Sorry it's short, but I will update soon! Jaa mata! sakura ten'nyo **


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello, inhabitants of planet Earth and any surrounding galaxies! This be sakura ten'nyo. Duh. Anywho, here is the newest chapter for Prince of Paupers. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, would I be writing fanfictions? **

Sasuke's POV

Damn, that water was cold!

"What the hell happened?!" I shouted.

"Sorry!" came the voice of my hostess from the kitchen. "I forgot to tell you that when the sink's on in here, the water in there is freezing! I was washing the dishes. Sorry!" I could tell that she wasn't really sorry.

The sink turned off and the water was hot again. This was going to be interesting. Very interesting.

Luckily for me, Sakura had some of her father's old clothes. Even luckier, I was just about the same size as he was. As I changed my clothes in the living room, I noticed a picture frame that had been flipped down onto its face. Curious, I crossed the room and picked up the frame.

It was a photo of three people. A small girl with short pink hair and green eyes, a beautiful young woman with red hair and kind blue eyes, and a tall man with brown hair and green eyes. It was Sakura's family, long before the accident that orphaned her. She looked so happy, so carefree.

I heard the bathroom door creak and I flipped the picture frame back onto its face. Sakura walked in, her hair wet and her face curious. She had a thick blanket in her arms, which she set on the couch which was to be my bed.

"There you go! I'll be in my room if you need anything, so goodnight!" she said happily.

She turned away and walked into her room. I watched her go and a surge of some unknown feelings rushed in my body. I sat down on the couch and laced my fingers under my nose. I couldn't help but think about what my parents were doing right now. My mother was probably beside herself with worry. My father was probably firing every servant that ever came into contact with me today.

Oh, well. I might as well get some sleep.

Sakura's POV

I am so confused. It's going to be impossible to go to sleep tonight. I can't stop thinking about what Sasuke told me about his family. Maybe that's why he acts like such a jerk. Maybe I shouldn't have been so hard on him…

You know what? I am too tired to care right now, so I am going to bed. Tomorrow is a new day. All I have to do is deal with Jerk-Wad, go to work, and o the same thing I do every day. Tomorrow will be no different.

**Yeah, sorry it's so short, but this one was really just a filler. There will be more action in the next chapter, I promise. Jaa mata! sakura ten'nyo )**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi everybody! It's me, sakura ten'nyo, your friendly neighborhood fanfiction writer. Sorry I haven't updated in so long. School is crazy! Anyway, here's another chapter for you guys. **

**This chapter is dedicated to a young man named Dennis Woolford. He died on his way to school on September 26. He was a junior. His younger sister is in my class. Please say a prayer for this young man and his family. GOD BLESS!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto…damn.**

Sakura's POV

I swear, the world is out to get me. You know when it feels like Fate's playing a really mean joke on you? Yeah, story of my life.

It's Sunday morning and my stupid-ass alarm clock goes off at seven o'clock. Seven o'clock. IT'S MY DAY OFF AND I CAN'T EVEN SLEEP IN?!

My eyes shot open to the loud blaring beeping that interrupted my dreams. I mean, who in their right mind wakes up at seven in the freakin' morning on their day off?! I slammed down on the snooze button with a vengeance and dropped my head into my pillow.

Alright, now I can finally relax and sleep…

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEEEEEEEP!!

I lifted my head off the pillow and glared ferociously at the offending piece of machinery.

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" I screamed at the clock. I sat up and stood over my bedside table. I yanked the plug out of the wall, tossed the clock into my closet, and slammed the door smartly.

"WHAT!" I shouted at the closet in a menacing fashion.

I know what you're thinking. What the heck is she doing screaming at inanimate objects? Is this chick off her rocker or what? Yeah, I know. Trust me, my friends have tried to get me into therapy so many times I've lost count. Well, who wouldn't be kind of crazy after living on her own since she was eight?

I lay down again and closed my eyes. But I was too awake to sleep again. I whimpered helplessly and sat up again, shaking my head.

"Aw, come on!" I muttered unhappily. I got up, slipped my feet into my slippers, and pulled on my trusty hoodie. Time to start another day.

I trudged into the kitchen, peeking out the window at the light dusting of snow that was falling from the sky. I heard a grunt and looked over my shoulder.

Aw, crap. So it wasn't a dream.

Sasuke was lying on my couch, sleeping peacefully. I glared at his still form. That's right, sleep, you little maggot, while I'm up at SEVEN IN THE FREAKING MORNING! I watched the snow for a while longer until my annoyance with Jerk-Wad brought out my mean streak.

I stalked over to the couch and stood over him. You gotta admit, he's pretty hot when he's sleeping. But I didn't let that stop me. I leaned in very close to his face, took a deep breath, and did something very rude.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAKE UUUUUUUUUUUP, CHICKEN-ASS!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

His obsidian eyes flew open so fast that it must have made him dizzy. He shouted in alarm and fell off the couch. Luckily, I backed up in time, so he didn't fall right on top of me. After swinging his head around for a few minutes, looking for danger, he looked up at me. He looked ready to kill me.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" he yelled.

I giggled. He threw me his best death glare and I laughed even harder.

"Oh my God. You should've seen your face!" I laughed.

"Shut up," he muttered. I giggled again.

"So, what do you want for breakfast?" I asked. I sauntered over to the fridge and peered in.

Damn, empty again. I knew I was forgetting something yesterday. Crap. I turned back to Sasuke and shrugged.

"Well, looks like we're going out to eat. And then we're going grocery shopping."

Sasuke glared at me like I had just stomped on his foot.

"Fine," he growled. I left to go get dressed. I heard him grumbling in the living room. Now, mind you, I didn't like conflict much. But to pass up an opportunity like that would be illegal!

Pulling on my favorite dark-wash skinny jeans, I contemplated the events of the past two days. Well, if Murphy's Law proves true, everything that could possibly go wrong would go wrong.

And wrong it went.

**Okay, there you go. Another chapter done. Again, I apologize for taking so long to update, but life has been crazy, crazy, crazy.**

**That's it! Jaa mata! sakura ten'nyo )**


	8. AUTHOR NOTE! READ OR DIE!

**Hi people! I am sooooooooooooo sorry for not updating in so long. I am working on it, I promise! But school has been hectic like you wouldn't believe and I need to work on bringing up some grades. But it will come soon! I swear upon my life! Okay, maybe not my life, but close enough. See you soon!**

**Love, sakura ten'nyo**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hi again! Before we get started, I want to shout out a HUGE thanks to It'. who has been tirelessly reviewing and making me smile. THANKS! But don't worry, I love all the rest of you guys too. Anyway, on with it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Isn't it obvious?**

Sasuke's POV

I have entered a world of fluorescent lights, plastic floors, and bad music playing in the background. Yeah, I'm in a grocery store. Sakura seems to find my apparent confusion/fright amusing. Oh, yeah, real mature! Sure go ahead, laugh at the guy who has never been in a grocery store! Yeah, that's really hilarious! So instead, I sat outside the store on the nearest bench, my hands in my pockets and my thoughts far away.

"Hey, Sasuke!" I looked up at the sound of my name and saw Sakura walking towards me, her arms laden with bags. I stood up reluctantly.

"Hey," I mumbled. I briefly took my hands out of my pockets and suddenly found them weighed down by groceries. Damn. I raised an eyebrow. Sakura glared at me.

"Shut up and come on. These have to get into the refrigerator."

I shrugged and walked silently the way we came. I tuned out Sakura's incessant yammering and listened to the sounds of the street. Some old guy was selling hot dogs under a tree, his breath billowing in front of him in the frosty morning air. A small woman sat on a bench and talked with a younger woman. Then the most annoying sound he had ever heard started to play. Sakura shoved the bags she was holding at me and dug her cell phone out of her pocket. She glanced at the caller ID and flipped the phone open.

"Hey, Naruto. What's up?" she answered. "Cool! Tonight? What time? Okay great! Hey listen, can I bring someone? Awesome. Alright, see you then, Narutard…hahahaha, I'll call you whatever the hell I feel like calling you, so shut up. See you later. Bye."

She flipped the phone shut and laughed. I looked at her like she was crazy. What the heck is up with this chick?! Sakura got the silent question.

"Naruto and the gang are throwing a surprise birthday party for Neji and we're going," she explained.

"We?"

"Yes, we. You're my date." She sounded smug. I raised my eyebrow again. If this kept up, my eyebrows would be buff.

"Whatever. But I will _not_ dance. Got it?" I growled.

"Fine by me," she replied flippantly.

The rest of the walk was spent in relative quiet. Breakfast was quick and concise, nothing special, no real embellishment. I spent most of the remainder of the day on her balcony, staring at the city and thinking. I could hear banging inside and whenever I glanced in, I could see Sakura wrestling with the plumbing under the possessed sink. I had to admit, she certainly was a force to be reckoned with. And now, all I had to do was convince her and her friends that I was relatively normal…well, wish me luck!

Wow. If I was any other guy, my jaw would've hit the floor. It was six-thirty and almost time to go to this Naruto's party. I was dressed in my jeans and a dark dress shirt of Sakura's dad's. And then Sakura emerged.

Her black long-sleeved shirt hugged her slim curves perfectly and her dark wash jeans had silver paint splattered on the edges. Emblazoned across her chest in shiny silver were the words, "Heart-breaker? Me? Only part-time."

So, yeah. Wow.

Sakura smirked as she put in her earrings. "Take a picture, it'll last longer."

And I very stupidly replied, "Huh?"

She sighed. "Put your eyes back in your head, chicken-ass."

I blinked a few times to clear my head. She giggled and I scowled.

"You know, you're a lot more handsome when you aren't frowning like that," she said nonchalantly. "I mean, seriously, have you ever smiled before in your life?"

I resent that sta- wait a sec. Did she just say that I was handsome? Really? Wow…

DUDE, SASUKE! SNAP OUT OF IT, MAN! SHE'S JUST A GIRL, FOR GOD'S SAKE! Just a really, really hot girl, who you just might be falling in love with OH WHAT AM I SAYING?! I CAN'T LIKE HER! I mean…can I?

Sakura's hand on my arm brought me back to reality.

"Ready to go?" she asked.

I nodded. She smiled and my legs turned to jelly. How the hell did she do that?!

We walked in companionable silence to Naruto's apartment. She gave me the low-down on everybody that would be there and I listened as well as I could.

Naruto's apartment was packed. And cluttered with all manner of random stuff. I recognized most of the people from Sakura's descriptions. Neji and Tenten sat together on the couch. Hinata and Naruto were working the party. Ino was flirting shamelessly with any guy within ten feet of her. Luckily, I was eleven feet away.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and came face to face with Naruto.

"Hey! You must be Sakura's date!" He stuck out his hand. "Naruto Uzumaki!"

"I know you are, but what am I?" I tossed back.

Naruto laughed.

"All right! I like you, you're much cooler than that Sai freak she brought last time she was over. What a sec, what'd you say your name was again?"

"I didn't, but it's Sasuke."

"Cool beans! So anyway, Sakura's been telling me that she found you at the diner? What, were you a stray dog, she kissed you and, poof, you're a guy?"

"Actually, I was a raccoon, but it's all the same to me."

Naruto laughed again and I smirked.

"I gotta go," he said. "But seriously, mi casa es su casa, amigo!"

"Arigato," I answered.

He walked away laughing some more. What a dobe.

I watched Sakura most of the time. She moved with such purpose, such grace…it was like she was born to be somewhere better than this crappy apartment in this crappy part of town. And her laugh…don't get me started on her laugh. It was so genuine and sincere that you couldn't help but smile.

Oh God, I think it's official…

I think I'm in love with Sakura Haruno…

"Hey there, stranger!" I heard Sakura call. I was out on the balcony of Naruto's apartment, looking out at the city.

"Hey yourself," I answered.

"You having fun?"

"Hn. I met your buddy Naruto."

Sakura's eyes went very big. "Uh-oh, did he hurt you in any way shape or form? Make any threats to your physical and/or psychological well-being?"

…

"Uhhhhh, no? Should he have?

"Well, I guess that's a relief."

"Should I even ask?"

"No."

"Okay then."

She laughed and I felt my insides warm up. Her laughter died down and she looked back at me with sparkling eyes.

"I really like you, Sasuke. I hope you'll be able to stay a bit longer."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"I…I have to go back."

"Go back where?"

"Home."

She stopped for a minute, thinking. Then she looked back at me.

"When I said that I really liked you, Sasuke, I meant it. I really do like you and…and I want you to stay. Life's been much more interesting since you came and…I don't feel so lonely anymore."

At that moment, I felt my heart thud painfully inside my chest. I knew that I would have to leave soon…sooner or later, my parents would get desperate trying to find me and anyone involved might get hurt. I couldn't see that happen to her…I didn't want to see her hurt again.

"Look, Sakura…I don't want to go either, but my family needs me and I don't want to see you get hurt…"

At that moment, Sakura slid her hand behind my neck, pulled my head down to hers and kissed me, hard and sweet, right then and there.

Ho. Lee. SHIT.

Sakura kissed me. And when I say kissed, I mean KISSED. Like a real kiss.

Gawd, I sound like such a teenage girl.

She pulled away and looked me in the eyes. Their clear green was foggy like she had just awoken from a deep sleep. Then they cleared and she shook her head.

"Oh, god, I'm sorry. That was really weird and out of line and—"

Yeah, I didn't let her finish her sentence. God, she was so amazing, it was like I couldn't get enough of her…

We broke off again and I stared down at her. This time, she stared up at me with what seemed to be anger.

"I have something to tell you, Sakura."

She pulled out of my arms and stared out at the city lights.

"I know, but I have a question first."

"…Okay…"

"How do you like the city…Prince Sasuke?"

**Dun dun duuuuuuuuuuunnnnnnnnnnnnnnn…**

**Teehee, oh I am devious, aren't I?**

**I am probably going to take a while writing the next one, so don't hold your breath. And I am so sorry that it's taken me so long to update! See you guys next time!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello to all! I just want to thank everyone who reviewed, I love you guys because it makes me feel loved when you all review! And it makes me write faster, so it's a great way to get more chapters! Anyway, here's another one!**

**Disclaimer: Do you really have to ask?**

Sasuke's POV

Oh God, no.

She figured it out.

She knows.

WHAT THE HELL AM I GOING TO DO?!?!?!?!

My voice wouldn't work. I couldn't speak. Even if I could, what could I say?

Sakura looked like I had broken her heart and stomped on the pieces just to be safe. Her eyes had that broken look in them that I just couldn't bear to see.

"Is it true?" she asked softly.

I couldn't answer her.

"IS IT?"

I nodded slowly.

She turned around and punched the wall.

"DAMMIT!" she shouted. She pressed her palms to her eyes as she slid down the wall. "Dammit, Sasuke, why didn't you tell me?"

I could talk again.

"I was going to!" I protested. "I swear it, Sakura, I was going to tell you!"

"When?!" she demanded. "Last night? At the diner? Before we left? Just now? WHEN?!"

I took a breath to try and calm down.

"I was going to tell you this morning," I said quietly. "But I…I didn't want to go."

She raised an eyebrow. "You didn't want go? Why did you even bother to run away? You're living the good life up in that castle of yours, with servants at your beck and call, and a family that loves you! Why did you leave?"

"I've never been outside the palace before in my life. I had to know what it was like! What normal people were like, what their problems were, I needed to know what is felt like to work for something you wanted," I muttered.

Sakura was silent. You could cut the tension in the air with a knife. I waited for her to speak.

"So," she began slowly, "this whole thing…was just….a game?"

No.

"You think of our lives as a game that you royals can play! You laugh at how foolish those poor, poor peasants are that they aren't like you! You come down to see 'our problems' and promise to make it better. BUT IT NEVER HAPPENS!" she screamed.

She turned away from me, her back tense and hard. I reached out and put my hand on her shoulder.

"DON'T TOUCH ME, YOU LYING BASTARD!" she screamed. She whirled around to break my grip.

_SLAP!_

I felt a stinging pain in my face. A pain that I had never felt before. She had hit me.

And then all hell broke loose.

The front door burst open and police beat their way into the apartment. Naruto tried to get answers but the officers pushed him aside. They trooped through the party and out to the balcony where Sakura and I were shouting. They pointed their guns at Sakura. She put her hands up in a sign of surrender.

"Are you Sakura Haruno?" one of them demanded.

"Uh, yeah? Who wants to know?" she replied slowly.

They put their guns away. And took out handcuffs. The one who had first spoken pushed her roughly against the wall and pulled her arms down.

"Hey! What's going on here?" she shouted.

"Sakura Haruno, you are under arrest for the kidnapping of His Highness Crown Prince Sasuke Uchiha. You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be held against you in a court of law. You're coming with us."

My heart stopped.

As they dragged her away, kicking and screaming, one of the officers put their hand on my shoulder.

"Are you alright, sir?" he asked.

I glared at him.

"No, I'm not."

**Sorry it took so long to update and sorry it's so short! But this is a very important chapter! More to come soon!**

**Love, sakura ten'nyo**


	11. Chapter 11

**Here's another chapter! Thanks so much to all you who reviewed! It made me smile. Again, I apologize for the cliffy in the previous chapter. Well, here we go.**

**Disclaimer: are you seriously asking that question?**

Sakura's POV

It was just like grade-school again. Everyone staring. Back then, it was because of my strange coloring and odd fashion sense.

This time, it was because of the police officers dragging me away.

Naruto, bless his heart, came up to the officer and shouted at him to let me go, that I had done nothing wrong. He was telling the truth, but since when has the truth ever mattered?

As my friends shouted angrily at the police, I glimpsed Sasuke in the back of the room. An officer was at his shoulder, explaining things to him, no doubt. But he wasn't paying attention to the man.

He was staring at me. His black, endless eyes seemed to stare right through me. He looked almost…sad…like he had lost all hope in the future and in life.

It couldn't possibly be because of me. It couldn't be.

As the policeman at my back pushed me forward, I could almost see the old Sasuke, the cold, cynical, harsh man without a heart.

And I knew that that was because of me.

The officers shoved me into the police car and I was transported to the Konoha Police Headquarters. I was pulled out of the car and the flash of cameras momentarily blinded me. Reporters were shouting questions at me over the roar of the crowd throwing insults and curses for stealing away the Prince.

I knew that everything they said was true. I closed my eyes against tears threatening to fall from my eyes. I heard their insults paired with insults from years ago.

"_Freak!"_

"_Whore!"_

"_Bitch!"_

"_Go back to where you came from, you stupid little weirdo!"_

"_We don't want you here!"_

"_What have you done?!"_

"_Forehead!"_

"_Ugly!"_

"_Stupid!"_

"_We hate you!"_

"_Just disappear!"_

The feeling of self-hatred rushed through me in a cold, poisonous wave.

It was true. It was all true. I was ugly. I was stupid. And people hated me.

It was all bitingly true.

I barely felt the pebbles a few people threw. The police officers pushed those individuals back and escorted me quickly into the brick building. I tripped and fell to my knees on the marble floor. I was dizzy. My surroundings were spinning. Then, the only thing in my vision field was a pair of fine black shoes.

I dared to look up.

And His Majesty, King Fugaku Uchiha of the Land of Fire was glaring right back at me.

I was tongue-tied. Scared out of my mind. And I could only say one thing.

"Oh, shit…"

My police officer snorted. The king raised an eyebrow.

"So you are the criminal who kidnapped my son, are you?" he said quietly, his deep voice rumbling through the room.

"I never kidnapped your son, sire," I replied, staring defiantly up into his eyes.

He grabbed the front of my shirt, pulled me up so that I was level with his face, and slapped me. Hard. And it hurt. My officer winced.

I dropped to the ground, holding my stinging face and spitting blood. I stared up at him with hard eyes, as if daring him to try that stunt again.

"Liar," he hissed.

"I'm telling the truth!" I protested.

He hit me again. I crumpled on the floor. He was furious.

"HOW DARE YOU LIE TO YOUR KING?!?!" he shouted.

I continued to stare at him determinedly. "I am a lot of things, your Majesty. But I am not a liar."

I felt his large hand grab me around the throat. I gasped for air.

"Listen well, little girl! I am the king. If I say something is true, then it's true. If I say something is a lie, it's a lie. Anyone who says otherwise will be punished."

He let me go. Once I had my breath back, I stared at him defiantly again.

"So this is what our society has come to? Liars are praised as truthful, and those who speak the truth are punished as heretics? Well, then if that's the case, Heaven help us all if you live for another thirty years."

The king raised his fist for another blow when my officer held back his arm. The king turned his fearsome face to face my officer. His visible eye was squinted, like he was smiling.

"I don't mean to be rude, your Majesty, but I'm afraid that she is under state protection. As long as she is in this building, even you can't touch her," he said calmly.

The king looked infuriated. But he pulled his arm away instead and glared down at me.

"Your trial will be tomorrow morning," he growled. "In the meantime, maybe you should think over your options. Because I do not take lying very lightly. Remember that, Miss Haruno."

I shuddered involuntarily as he swept out of the room.

As soon as the door swung shut, my officer exhaled loudly and bent over to help me up.

"You okay, kiddo?" he asked kindly. He was very tall and thin, his shoulders slumped and his gray hair stood up like he had been electrically charged.

"I guess," I muttered.

"Name's Kakashi. Don't worry, kid, you'll be okay. This'll all get cleared up real soon. I promise."

I sighed.

"I hope so."

**AT LONG LAST I HAVE UPDATED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yikes, this chapter has been bouncing around in my brain and stewing for months. I'm so sorry I haven't updated in so long!!!!!!!!!! I had a lot of family issues this winter and things have been pretty rough with school and stuff….but now that the year is almost over, I WILL UPDATE MORE!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks, and see y'all next time!**

**sakura ten'nyo**


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